TORONTO — A former deputy commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police is suing Premier Doug Ford and top staff for wrongful termination, abuse of public office and violations of his fundamental rights in a $15-million lawsuit.
Brad Blair and his lawyer announced the lawsuit at a press conference at Queen’s Park Friday.
Blair is already suing Ford for $5 million for defamation. The Ontario premier publicly accused Blair of breaking the Police Services Act, a claim that the veteran officer says damaged his reputation.
He also wants to see an official inquiry into “corrupt” appointments handed out by Ford’s government.
The government said Blair was fired because his previous court filings included internal OPP documents.
Blair said Friday he doesn’t know why he was let go in March.
“The impact of the firing has quite frankly traumatized me, my wife and our family,” he said.
Blair’s lawyer, Julian Falconer, said that the former officer’s firing is just the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to the Ontario government’s “utter contempt” for protocol.
Blair had asked the courts to force the provincial ombudsman to investigate the short-lived hiring of Ford’s friend. Ron Taverner had been named commissioner of the OPP, a job that Blair had been competing for.
Taverner eventually withdrew from consideration and another commissioner was named in March.
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